Gracie Malling has dropped by to share a snippet from her medieval paranormal romance Claimed by the Captain. I asked her what writing advice she might have to share with other writers, and she gave the answer that rings most true with me as well. "The best writing advice I’ve ever seen is ‘you
can’t edit a blank page’. It’s so simple but so true. My advice to anyone
starting out would be to give their inner critic a holiday and just write and
write everything that’s in their head – you can turn it into something that
makes sense afterwards."
Which means give yourself permission to write a lousy first draft, but write something.
“No more spells, no more gathering herbs and flowers, no more night-time
adventures in the woods.”
Ellen gasped. How did he—?
“Oh, yes, I know what
you’ve been doing,” said the master and that look of amused affection was back
on his face. “Do you think me ignorant of anything that goes on in my
property?”
At his words, Ellen blushed
bright red. Her mind flew to the memory of her many writhings and whimperings
on the straw mattress at night—surely he didn’t know about that?
Mortified, she pushed the
memory out of her mind at once.
“But I could help
people—the fever…”
“No, Ellen,” said the master and the softness was gone. “I forbid it, is that clear?”
“But I know just the charm
and—”
“I am in earnest, Ellen.
You are forbidden from going anywhere near the village until that witch finder
has gone.”
Ellen stood up and clasped
her hands together. Did he not understand how difficult it was for her to just
stand by and watch while people suffered? To turn them away when they came to
her begging for help?
The master stood up too,
took Ellen gently but firmly by the arm and turned her to face him. “This is
not a game,” he said, leaning down so that his face was level with hers. “If
you are accused of witchcraft, you could be tortured. Hanged. Burned alive. I
do not forbid you for my own amusement; I forbid you to keep you safe. And if
you defy me, Ellen,” here his voice dropped to a deeper pitch and the intensity
of his gaze was such that Ellen had to look away, “then the punishment will be severe. Do you understand me?”
Blurb:
When Captain Thomas Edwards
returns home after twenty years at sea to take ownership of the White Hart Inn
following the death of his father, he has not even reached the edge of the
village before he comes across a miscreant stealing apples from a local farmer’s
orchard. Upon discovering that the thief is a young woman named Ellen who has
been employed in his father’s inn for years, he considers it his responsibility
to bare her bottom and spank her soundly.
In addition to working as a
servant at the White Hart, Ellen has become known for her skill as an
herbalist, and the last thing she needs is a stern sea captain getting in the
way of her curing the ailments of her fellow villagers with a potion or tonic
when the need arises. But despite her shock at being punished in such a
shameful manner for nothing more than stealing a few apples, to Ellen’s
surprise the painful chastisement leaves her aching for Thomas to take her in
his arms and make her his.
Despite his willingness to
spank her bare bottom whenever he feels it necessary, Ellen finds herself
falling deeper in love with Thomas with every passing day. But when plague
strikes the village and a witch finder is summoned, Thomas forbids Ellen from
using her herbs to aid her friends and neighbors. As the situation grows more
desperate, will she disobey him and put her skills to use even if it means
risking her life, and can he keep her safe if she does?
About the Author:
Gracie Malling lives in the UK and has been
writing BDSM erotica since she was 21. All round nice person on the outside and
a bit of a bad girl in secret, Gracie loves reading and writing stories about
spanking: her favourite kink.
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